Septic arthritis of the hip after percutaneous coronary intervention: A rare and morbid complication

Abstract

Infective complications of cardiac catheterization have come down significantly in the past few decades but are occasionally reported. We report one such complication in an elderly female who developed septic arthritis of the hip due to Staphylococcus aureus infection following percutaneous coronary intervention through right femoral access. After an initial conservative strategy with girdlestone excision arthroplasty, she underwent a total hip replacement surgery as a staged procedure after the complete resolution of infection. With the increasing usage of femoral vascular access and vascular closure devices for various complex cardiac interventions in the present-day cardiac catheterization laboratory, a morbid complication like septic hip arthritis should be borne in mind whenever a patient presents with fever and hip joint pain, particularly when there are disproportionate or no significant local findings. Strict aseptic precautions, early identification by considering a magnetic resonance imaging scan early in the clinical course, and aggressive management are the key to better outcomes.